Machine for applying rotatable closure caps to containers



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10 Sheets-Sheet 2 www Rw R. K. MCELROY ET AL MACHINE FOR APPLYING ROTATABLE CLOSURE CAPS TO CONTAINERS March 10, 1959 Original Filed Nov. 30, 1955 R. K. 'MCELROY ET A1. 2,876,605

MACHINE FOR APPLYING ROTATABLE cLosURr; CAPs To CONTAINERS March 10, 1959 10 sheets-siem 3 Original Filed Nov. 50, 1955 March 10, 1959 R. K. McELRoY ETAL. 2,875,605

MACHINE FOR'APPLYING ROTATABLE- CLOSURE CAPS TO CONTAINERS Original FiledNov. 30, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 y /05 7 INVENToRs.

lobeff Mcroy,

March 10, 1959 R. K. MoELRoY 'ET AL 2,876,605

MACHINE FOR APPLYING ROTATABLE: cLosURE CAPs To CONTAINERS Original Filed Nov. 30, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mmmm March 10, 1959 R. K. MCELROY ET AL 2,375,505

MACHINEFOR APPLYING ROTATABLE CLosURE CAPs To CONTAINERS original Filed Nov. 3o, 1955 v l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 By 5m /Z Marh 10,1959 R. K. MCELROY ETAL 2,876,605 y MACHINE FOR APPLYING ROTATABLE CLOSUR CAPS TO CONTAINERS 10 Sheets-Sheet 'Z Original Filed Nov. 50, 1955 IN VEN TOR5 Kobe@ jmdm@ March 1o, 1959 R. K. MCELRQY ETALl 2,876,605

MACHINE.' FOR APPLYING AROTATABLEI CLOSURE CAPS TO CONTAINERS Original Filed Nov. 30, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 IN V EN TOR'.

R. K. McELRoY ErAL 2,876,605

MACHINE FOR APPLYING ROTATABLE cLosURE CAPs To coNTAiNERs MarchV 10, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 original Filed Nov.' so, 1955 Ill/l l INVENTORS. fcl'lr March `10, A1959 R. K. McELRoY ET AL 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Original Filed Nov. 30, 1955 IN1/mrow.

United States Patent, O

MACHINE FOR APPLYING ROTATABLE CLOSURE CAPS T CGNTAINERS Robert K. McElroy and Ray M. Smith, Elmhurst, Ill.,

assignors to White Cap Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Serial No. 549,987, November 30, 1955. This application June 19, 1958, Serial No. 743,058

This invention relates, generally, to innovations and improvements in machines for applying and sealing rotatable closure caps onto containers. This application is a continuation of our earlier tiled copending application Serial No. 549,987, tiled November 30, 1955, now abandoned.

Patents Nos. 2,041,891 to White and 2,158,675 to Davies disclose machines of the general type to which the present invention pertains. In the machines disclosed in these patents, a le or procession of containers, e. g. glass containers, is passed rapidly through one of the machines, and during that passage each container receives 'a' closure cap of the pressed-on' type, which becomes sealed to the mouth of the package before it leaves the apparatus or machine. Pressed-on closure caps of the class disclosed in White Patent No. 2,339,827, for example, may be rapidly applied and sealed onto glass containers in's'uch machines. Preferably the filled containers pass through an atmosphere of steam as they proceed through these machines which displaces air remaining at the mouths of the lled container so that when a cap is sealed in place and the container is cooled, the steam in the head space condenses and a vacuum is created which serves to further perfect and maintain the final seal of the cap onto the container. v

One of the principal advantages of this type of packaging machine is the high-speed with which the closure caps may be applied to the containers thereby permitting i Aautomatic sealing and packaging apparatus which will'be interchangeable or convertible so as to apply either closure caps of the pressed-on type as disclosed in White Patent No. 2,339,827 or rotatable closure caps, for example, lug caps of the type disclosed in Hammer Patent No. 1,805,623. As the result of these improvements and iunovations, one sealing machine may now be readily converted from operation with one type of cap for operation with the other. Such interchangeability results in substantial savings to the packer or other user in initial investment, floor space and service connections, and permits each machine to be used to a maximum extent.

While such interchangeability is ordinarily a desired feature, it will be appreciated that the utility and value of the invention is not wholly dependent thereon and a machine may be used exclusively vto apply the rotatable caps.

I line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

The rotatable caps to which reference has been made n may have either lugs or screw threads. Such lugs or yscrew threads intertit and cooperate with mating locking lugs or threads on the containers. It will be seen that the rapid application of these rotatable caps is both dif ferent from and more complicated than the application 2,876,605 Patented Mar. l0, 1959 of the pressed-on type of cap wherein the only move ment of the cap relative to the mouth of the container is downward. In the case of the rotatable caps, they first have to be applied to the containers in a manner that brings them into the initial sealing position regardless of the relative positions of the lugs or screw threads on the cap and those on the container when they are first brought together. If the caps are not applied properly in the rst place, they will not be properly sealed in the machine and furthermore breakage of containers or faulty seals may result.

The problem of applying these rotatable caps is further complicated by the nature of the gaskets which are now being used in such caps. Without going into detail, it is suicient to point out that many of these rotatablecaps are now made with so-called owed-in gaskets which are formed of suitable plastisol compositions. When flowed-in gaskets formed of certain plastisol formulations are warmed or heated suliiciently, as they will be by steam used in the sealing machines, they become suciently deformable so that the finish on the rims of the containers will indent the liowed-in gaskets and thereby form their own sealing surfaces. The rotatacle action wherein the lugs or threads cooperate with mating lugs or threads on the container to help pull down the closure caps to' a final position serve to assist in the intersealiug action between the container and the gasket and to lock the caps in finally `sealed position against accidental dislodgment.

However, a considerable degree of rotatingvactionfmust be applied to the caps in order to obtain this intersealing action and to lock the closure caps in their nal and fully seated sealing position on the containers. This rotatable action requires a substantial downward thrust as well as the rotating action itself. v

Accordingly, a further object of the inventionY is the provision of a cap feeding and leveling mechanism for rapidly feeding and applying rotatable closure caps to a rapidly moving file of containers so that the caps are applied in a level position and turned to the proper preliminary sealing position irrespective of the initial relative positions which the threads or lugs of the cap may bear to the interlocking lugs or threads of the containers.

Still another object of the invention is a sealing mechanism wherein the rotatable caps are rotated down to the final and fully seated and sealed position on the containers by being subjected simultaneously to a substantial downward thrust as well as a rotating action.

Certain other and more specific objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the invention, reference may now be had to the following detailed description of two illustrative embodiments thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section with certain parts being removed or broken away, of a machine for applying rotatable closure caps to containers and for sealing the same thereon, and illustrating one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally on line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on enlarged scale on Fig. 4 is a side elevational view on enlarged scale .of the main portion of the sealing mechanism of the ma chine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view on, en larged scale of the cap feeding and leveling mechanism inFig. 1;

A`illustrating the operation of a portion of the mechanism ,shown in Figs. and 6;

Fig. is a top planview of the mechanism shown' in Fig. 9;

Fig. ll is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating 'the operation of another portion of the mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the partial mechanism as shown in Fig. 1l; I

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally on line 13-13 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 4 illustrating the sealing of a closure cap on a container;

Fig. 1S is 'a fragmentary side elevational view, 'similar to Fig/5, but showing a modiiied form of cap feeding "and leveling means forming a part of a second emb`odi ment of the invention;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on line 16-16 of Fig.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the operation of a vportion of the mechanism shown `in Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary top plan view taken generally on line 18-18 of Fig. 15;

,'Fig. 19' is a fragmentary side elevational view on enla'rged scale similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modified form of' sealing `mechanism forming part of the second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 20 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally on line 20-20 of Fig. 19;

"Fig.' 21 is a vertical detail sectional view taken on line 214-21 of Fig. 19;

Fig. 22 is a plan view of one member of the rst em- "bodimentg Fig. 23 is a plan view of another member of the first embodiment.

Referring to Fig. 1, the packaging machine' shown `therein may be considered to have three main operating 'parts or sections mounted on a suitable frame. operating part is the main conveyor for supporting and One carrying containers 'in single tile through the apparatus and this is indicated generally at 5. The second main operating part or section is the closure cap feeding and leveling mechanismy which is indicated generally at 6.

"The third main operating part is the sealing mechanism indicated generally at 7 wherein the caps are sealed to the containers and rotated down to their iinal position.

A base frame 8 serves as the support for the main conveyor 5 and its various moving parts and also as a support for a superstructure frame and housing designated generally at 10 which carries and houses the cap feeding and leveling mechanism 6 and the cap sealing mechanism 7. The superstructure 10 is adjustably supported as a unit with respect to its vertical position or distance above the top run of the conveyor 5, by means of a pair fof vertically adjustable posts 11--11 which carry the superstructure 10 and which are adjustably screwed in support brackets 12--12 on the base frame 8.

The main conveyor 5 comprises an articulated conveyor belt or chain 13, the top run of which is supported by an elongated platform or table 14'rnounted on the'top fof base 8. At the kdischarge end of the machine the conveyor 13 is both supported and driven by a support and sprocket pulley 1S carrying a gear 16 which meshes with a gear 17 carried on a sprocket 18. The sprocket 18 is driven by means of a chain 20 from a'sprocket 2,1 carrying a bevel gear 22 which meshes with and is driven by a bevel gear 23 mounted on'the main drive shaft 24. The

main drive shaft 24 is driven by a suitable prime mover such as an electric motor, not shown. It will be understood that the end of the conveyor chain opposite from the sprocket pulley 1S runs over va similar sprocket pulley (not shown) which is not driven. The conveyor 13 has suflicient width to serve as a bottom support for the widest containers which the machine is designed to handle.

At the entrance end of the machine, the conveyor 13 is provided with a pair of container Vcentering guides 25-25 which are adjustable toward and away from each other. The guides 25 are mounted in known manner on opposite ends of a screw, the threads on one end of which are oppositely directed from the threads on the other whereby when the screw is rotated by the hand wheel 26 the guides 25 are moved an equal amount toward or away from each other, as desired. One of the settings to be made in the packaging machine in commencing operation on a particular lot or run of containers is to adjust the centering device 2S so as t'o accommodate the containers being handled and thereby center the containers on the conveyor 13 as they enter into the machine.

While the closure cap feeding and leveling mechanism 6 and the sealing mechanism or section 7 maybe adjusted vertically with respect to each other, normally the relative positions -of these two main functional portions of the apparatus, once determined, remain fixed and the superstructure 10 is adjusted vertically as a unit so as to accommodate containers of different heights. Therefore, the adjustment of the superstructure 10 is another setting which has to be made or checked in commencing a new run on a different lot or type of containers.

Cap feeding and leveling mechanismfirst embodiment This mechanism which is shown and indicated generally at 6 in Fig. 1 will now be described with reference to Figs. 5-12. Rotatableclosure 'caps are fed by a feed hopper or other suitable cap feeding means of known type (not shown) to the upper end of a cap chute having a oor plate 30 (Fig. 1) mounted and supported in an inclined position on a housing 31 which may serve as a steam chest for the apparatus. A pair of front and rear guide rails 32 and 33 are mounted on the inclined surface ofthe housing 31 in spaced relationship depending upon the diameter of the closure caps being applied. An upper bridge 34 (Fig. 1) and a lower bridge 35 extend over the guide rails 32 and 33 and are attached to the housing 31 by cap screws 29 extending through properly located openings in the guide rails and turning down into properly located tapped recesses in the inclined -wall of the housing 31. By shifting the cap screws 29 to different sets of openings in the top wall, the side rails 32 and 33 may be lspaced apart different distances so as to accommodate caps of different diameters.

The caps are retained in the chute by means of a top guide 36 supported at its upper and lower ends from the bridges 34 and 35, respectively. If it is desired to preheat the closure caps as they are fed down the inclined chute, outlet openings (not shown) may be suitably positioned in 'the inclined wall of the steam chest 31 and the 'tops of the caps may receive heat from two lengths of tubing 37 (Fig. 1) mounted on opposite sides of the top guide 36 and suitably connected with the steam supply. Each of the tubes 37 has holes along the bottom through which steam discharges down onto the tops of the caps. `It is thus possible to preheat the caps to a predetermined temperature so as to facilitate the sealing operation and bring the flowed-in gasket'material to a condition wherein it is properly deformable in the sealing mechanism 7.

The bottom end of the cap feed chute which curves forwardly into a horizontal bifurcated terminal portion vis vformed as a continuation of the inclined chute by means of front and rear track sections 40 and 41 (Fig. 6) supported on front and rear track support brackets 42 and 43 respectively. The upper ends of the brackets 42 and 43 are secured by bolts 44-44 and 45-45, respectively, to the lower ends of the front and rear guide rails 32 and 33. The front and rear track extensions 40 and 41 have inwardly turned rails or ilanges 46 and 47 (Fig. 8) which are curved into horizontal terminal portions as illustrated in Fig. 7.

It is at the break or curved portion of the track extensions or flanges 46 and 47 that the closure caps are first engaged by the leading top edges of the mouths or tops of the containers as shown in Fig. 7. In order to bring about accurate feeding of the caps onto the tops of the containers and to serve in effect as a movable continuation of the top guide plate 36 which terminates at 50 as indicated in Fig. 7, a hold-down disk or wheel 51 is provided having a radius conforming generally to the radius of curvature of the bend in the tracks, as shown, and a diameter which is several times the height of the closure caps which are shown at 52-52 in elevation in Fig. 7. The wheel or disk 51 with its integral hubs 53-53 (Fig. 8) is mounted on the lower bifurcated end of an arm 54, the upper end of which is also bifurcated as shown in Fig. 8 so as to have ears 55--55 which straddle opposite sides of the lower step 56 of a block 57 mounted on the lower bridge 35. A pin 58 extending through the step 56 and the ears 55 pivotally connects the arm 54 at its upper end to the block 57.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 8, it will be seen that the front side of the lever 54 is provided with an adjusting or positioning screw 60 and with a locking screw 61. The adjusting screw 60 is screwed into a tapped opening extending through the arm 54 and the lower end bears against the top of a block 59 secured to the side of the top guide rail 36. It will be seen that the rlever 54 may be 'adjustably raised or lowered so as to raise and lower the hold-down wheel 51 by adjusting the screw 60. Once the .hold-down wheel 51 has been properly adjusted depending upon the height of the caps being applied, the lever 54 and the wheel may be locked in position by turning down the tightening screw 60 which is threaded into a tapped opening provided for the bottom end thereof in the block 59 as shown in Fig. 5. The hold-down wheel 51 is mounted between the opposite ears 62-62 on the bottom end of the lever or arm 54 by means of a pin 63 Fig. 7).

The hold-down wheel 51 serves to hold the caps down without interference as they pass around the curved portions of the rail extensions or flanges 46 and 47. After passing around these curved portions and under the wheel 51, the caps must still be supported and held down in a level position in order to become properly applied to the tops of the containers. This additional hold-down and leveling operation is performed by a pair of shoe members (Figs. 9 and l0) the first one of which may be referred to as a duck bill and designated at 65 and the second one of which is referred to as hold-down member and is designated at 66. The duck bill 65 is shown in plan view in Fig. 22 and will be seen to be generally H-shaped in configuration with the two front legs being upwardly turned as indicated at 67 and straddling opposite sides of the hold-down wheel 51. The hold-down member or shoe 66 is shown in plan in Fig. 23 and will be seen to comprise a flat rectangular section having an upwardly turned tongue 68 which is adapted to pass between the adjacent projections on the duck bill member 65.

The duck bill hold-down member 65 is supported on thebottom end of a dog leg arm 70 while the hold-down member 66 is similarly supported on the bottom end of another dog leg member 71. The upper ends of both of the arms 70 and 71 are bifurcated as indicated at 72-72 and 7373, respectively, in Fig. l0. The spaced ends 72 'and 73 are provided with registering openings so as to re- Geive a supporting pin 74 when they are placed over op- 6 posite sides of the upper step 75 (Fig. 7) of the block 57.'

In order to press the hold-down or leveling shoe members 65 and 66 downwardly with the desired pressures, each of the arms 70 and 71 has pivotally connected thereto the bottom end of a pressure rod 76 or 77, respectively. These rods project upwardly through the top wall of the housing of the superstructure 10 as shown in Fig. 1 where they are engaged by the free ends of leaf springs 80 and 81, the fixed ends of which are attached to the top side of the superstructure. Set screws 82 and 83 adjustably control the amounts of pressure which the leaf springs 80 and S1 apply to the top ends of the rods 76 and 77, respectively.

The hold-down duck bill 65 is so proportioned and positioned'as shown in Fig. 9, that the horizontal portion of the duck bill 65 overhangs the ends of the track, and the top panel of each closure cap cornes under and is engaged by the at portion ofthe member 65 while the trailing portion of the cap is still supported from the bottom on the ends of the flanges or rail extensions 46 and-47. Therefore, each cap is maintained in a level position as its supporting container advances and pulls the cap from the terminal ends of the rails 46 and 47. The duck bill 65 continues to press the cap down level on the top of a bottle after the cap has left the chute regardless of the relative position which the lugs on the cap may bear with relation to the intertting threads or lugs on the mouth of the closure. That is, if the lugs or threads on the cap should happen to coincide with the entrances or clearances between the mating lugs or threads on the closure cap so as to be in a lower position, the duck bill 65 will ride the cap down and hold it in the lower position while retaining it approximately level. Similarly, if the relative position of the lugs or screws on the cap and on the closure are such that the cap occupies its uppermost position, the duck bill 65 will rise up and also hold the cap level in the upper position.'v

As the containers advance the closure caps pass from underneath the duck bill 65 and come under the at portion of the hold-down shoe member 66. It will be seen from Fig. 9 that the duck bill 65 and the hold-down member 66 are so positioned relative to each other that each cap comes under the flat portion of the hold-down member 66 for support before it leaves the end of the flat portion of the duck bill 65. Accordingly, each closure cap is held down in a level position throughout its passage underneath both the duck bill 65 and the holddown member 66. This mechanism therefore serves as an articulated leveling means.

Each cap is retained at the lower end of the feed chute against premature removal by a pair of spring loaded detents 78-78 (Fig. 6). The rounded outer ends of these detents project over the trackanges 46 and 47 and each detent extends rearwardly through apertures in the track sections 40 and 41 into compression springs 79-79 located in recesses provided therefor in the track section support brackets 42 and 43.

While each closure cap is held down level by the holddown member 66 and the container on which it rides is held from rotating by side belts to be described hereinafter, the side of each cap comes successively into engagement with a drag member which is indicated at 84 in Figs. 5, 6, 1l and l2. This drag member 84 is formed of a friction oering material such as rubber or the like which upon being pressed in against the yside of a cap as shown in Fig. l2 causes the cap to rotate in a clockwise direction so that it is turned down into the proper preliminary sealing position through the combination of the cap rotating action and the hold-down action of the hold-down member 66. If the drag member 84 is long enough,l the cap may also be engaged by the duck bill member 65 during part of the rotating action. The rubber drag or friction member $4 is suitably supported on an arm 85 having a bifurcated end 86 which tits over the top and bottom sides of the adjacent apertured end 87 Vof an arm astuces F I 90. -`A pin 91 which. projects through registering openings inthe legs of the bifurcated end 86 and through the aperture in the supporting end 87 serves to pivot the arm 85 on the arm 90. The arm 90 is bifurcated on its opposite end so as to have spaced legs 92 and 93 which are apertured and fit over the top and bottom sides of a laterally projecting lug 94 integrally formed on the side of the front track section support bracket 42. A pin 95 projects down through the registering apertures in the legs 92 and 93 on the lug 94 so as to pivot the arm 9i) on the latter.

The arm 90 and the elements and members supported thereon are urged away from the side of the bracket 42 by means of a compression spring 96 which is held at one end in a recess 97 provided therefor on the inner side of the arm 90 and projects against the side of the bracket 42. The outward position of the arm 99 is adjustably limited by means of althumb screw 1110 which threadedly projects through a threaded hole in an upturned arm 101 on the louter end of a bracket 102 projecting outwardly from the side of the bracket 42. A wing nut 103 serves to lock the thumb screw in any desired position. By setting the thumb screw 10G the drag mechanism may be properly positioned or adjusted.

The drag 84 is spring-loaded or pressed in toward the side of the caps by means of a leaf spring 104, the free end of which presses against a projection 195 carried by the arm 85. The vopposite end of the spring 104 is clamped between the outer face of a boss 106 projecting from the side of the arm 90 and a clamping member 107 secured thereto by means of a pair of screws 1118-108. The clamping member 107 has a side extension 11i) having a threaded opening therein for receiving a thumb screw 111, the inner end of which presses against the leaf spring 104. A wing nut 112 serves to lock the screw 103 in any desired position. It will be seen that by adjusting the screw 111the pressure with which the drag 154 presses against the closure caps may be accurately adjusted.

By the time a container with its closure cap has cleared the end of the drag 84, the cap will have been rotated sufficiently so that it is turned down to its preliminary sealing position with the lugs or threads on the cap properly engaging with the mating lugs or threads on the closure. The containers then proceed to the sealing mechanism 7 wherein the closure caps are completely sealed and. fully rotated down onto the mouths of the container.

Sealing mechanism-hint embodiment Except for portions of front and rear side conveyor belts 113 and 114 (Fig. 2), which form part of the container conveying means, the remainder of the machine forming the rst embodiment of the invention and not previously described forms a part of or cooperates with the sealing mechanism 7.` This sealing mechanism 7 is mounted or enclosed within the hood or housing of the superstructure 10 which may be filled with an atmos phere of steam supplied from a suitable supply source when the machine is in operation.

The sealing mechanism 7 is supported as a unit within the housing on a pair of C-shaped brackets 115 and 116, the upper ends of which are attached to the bottom ends of the support rods 117-117. These rods project upwardlythrough apertures provided therefor in the top of thesuperstructure housing and through sleeves 118-118 (Fig` l) disposed in upstanding cylindrical housings 119 formed on the opposite ends of a casting 12b which is bolted to the top .of the superstructure by bolts 121. Within the housings 119 the bottom ends of the sleeves 118 are secured in collars 122- plate of the casting 120. Compression springs 12S-123 are located within the housings 119 for pressing down on the collars 122. The degreee of compression exerted by the springs 123 is adjustably controlled by means of the 122 which rest on the oor lill hollow exteriorly threaded adjusting screws 124-124 755 which t over the sleeves 118 andare screwed down into the upperends of the interiorly threaded housings 119. The rods 117 are threaded on their upper ends and provided with interiorly threaded elevating collars 12S-125, the bottom ends of which bear on the upper ends of the sleeves 118. It will be seen that the C-brackets 11S-116 may be raised or lowered by turning the collars 125.

The C-brackets 115 and 116 have bottom horizontal arms 132 and 133, respectively, having formed on the bottoms thereof apertured lugs 134 and 135 for receiving pins 136 and 137 on which the sealing roller mounting frame 140 is supported. This frame has upstanding pairs of apertured ears 141-141 and 142-142 integrally formed adjacent opposite ends thereof through which the pins 136 and 137 extend as shown in Fig. 14. The opposite sides of the sealing roller support frame 140 are convergently beveled as designated at 142-142 in Fig. 14 and have recesses therein for receiving and supporting the upper ends of stub shafts 143-143. V-type rollers 1411-144 for the front and rear sealing belts 145 and 146, respectively, are mounted on the lower ends of the shafts 143. The compression springs 123 which push down the sealing unit 7 are adjusted so that the sealing belts exert a substantial downward thrust on the opposite corners of the closure caps so as to force the caps down and rotate them at the same time.

At one end each of the sealing belts 145 and 146 runs over a sheave provided therefor on a driven pulley 147. The front sealing belt 145 runs over a smaller diameter sheave 148 and the rear sealing belt 146 runs over a larger diameter sheave 150. In addition to the sheaves 148 and 150, the pulley wheel 147 is provided on opposite sides with additional sheaves 151 and 152 which carry and drive the front and` rear side conveyor or gripper belts 113 and 114, respectively.

The pulley wheel 147 is mounted on a shaft 153 which is suitably journaled in a bearing 154 on the interior of the housing or superstructure 10. On its rearwardly projecting end shaft 153 carries a bevel gear 155 (Fig. l) which meshes with, and is driven by, a bevel gear 156 carried on the upper end of the drive shaft 24.

At the end of the sealing mechanism 7 opposite from the pulley wheel 147 each of the sealing belts 145 and 146 runs over a set of idling guide pulleys. The front sealing belt 145 passes over lower idler pulley 157 which is mounted on a shaft 158 projecting through opposite sides of the bifurcated end of the frame or block 140. The shaft 158 also carries the lower idler pulley 160 for the rear sealing belt 146.

The front sealing belt also runs over a tension applying or tightening idler pulley wheel 161 which is carried on a bell crank lever 162, the lower end of which is pivotally mounted on the shaft 158 as shown in Fig. 4. l`he rear sealing belt 146 similarly runs over a tightening idler pulley 163 which is mounted on another bell crank 164, the lower end of which is also pivotally mounted on the shaft 158. Spring-loaded belt tighteners are provided for applying a desired degree of tension on the sealing belts 145 and 146. The spring loading means for the idler guide and tensioning pulley 161 comprises a bifurcated member 165, the spaced forks of which straddle the adjacent apertured end of the bellcrank lever 162. A pin 159 pivotally connects the bifurcated member 165 on this end of the bell crank 162. The member 165 has a cylindrical extension 166 which serves as a guide and support for a compression spring 167. The extension 166 has a coaxial bore into which is slidably projected the stem 168 on a notched member 170. The notched member 110 is provided with a washer 171 for retaining and pressing the adjacent end of the compression spring 167. The notches 172-172 in the bottom of the member 170 are cut on an angle so as to fit and lock over a reduced diameter portion 173 (Fig. 13) of a supporting bar or rod 174. It will be s een that in Fig. 4 the belt tightener for the. forward or front sealing belt 145 is adjusted so as .screwed down thereon.

to exert the lowest amount of tension. If greater tension on the belt 145 is desired, then the notched member 170 is lifted and pushedinwardly so as to further com press the spring 167 and lowered down so that a proper notch 172 tits over the small diameter portion 173.

A similar belt tightener is provided for the idler pulley 163 for the rear sealing belt 146. In this case a bifurcated member 175 straddles the opposite sides of the apertured adjacent end of the bell crank 164 and is pivotally connected thereto by a pin 169. A compression spring 177 fits over a cylindrical extension on the bifurcated member 175 which has a coaxial bore into which slidably projects the stem 179 of a notched member 178. The notched member 178 has notches in the underside corresponding to notches 172 which are adapted to fit and lock over a reduced diameter portion 180 on the end of the rod 174 opposite the reduced diameter portion 173. The belt tightener for the idler pulley 163 is adjusted in the same manner as the belt tightener for the front idler pulley 161. f The support rod 174 for the belt tighteners extends through and is carried by a sleeve member 181 which is integrally formed as part of a thrust bracket casting designated generally at 182 (Fig. 13). This thrust bracket 182 has an attaching plate 183 which is suitably bolted to the interior of the rear side wall of the superstructure by bolts 184. A web projects outwardly from the attaching face or plate 183 and has integrally formed thereon not only the sleeve 181 but also a second sleeve 185. A pin 186 is carried by the sleeve 185 and serves as a support for a T-shaped fitting 187, the top of which is a sleeve 188 rotatably mounted on the pin 186. The vertical portion 190 of the T-member 187 is also apertured at 'the bottom in a direction transversely to' the aperture through the sleeve portion 188 so as to receive a thrust rod 191. The member 187 is suitably positioned on the rod 186 by means of spacers 192 and 193 which are secured in place by means of a nut 194 on the outer end of the rod 186. l The thrust rod 191 is threaded so as to carry hex nuts 195 and 196 whereby the rod 191 may be relatively positioned lengthwise with respect to the fitting 187. The rod 191 carries at the end opposite the tting 187 a bifurcated end 197, the spaced sides of which are apertured and pivoted on the support pin 137. The rod 191 and its `associated members provide a thrust linkage whereby the tendency of the containers to shove the sealing unit in the direction of their movement is resisted by the superstructure frame 10 through the bracket 182 and not by the supporting pins 136 and 137. It will be understood that by adjusting the jamb nuts 195 and 196, the thrust link may be set so as to take up the thrust on the sealing unit.

As mentioned above, the side conveyor belts 113 and 114 at one end run over sheaves 151 and 152 on opposite sides of a pulley wheel 147. At the opposite ends these belts run over pulley wheels 200-200 (Fig. 1) rotatably mounted on a shaft 201 supported on the lower ends of arms 202--202. Each arm 202 is pivotally connected at its upper end of means of a pin 203 to an apertured boss formed on the housing superstructure 10. The arms 202 are tensioned in a downward position and away from the sealing mechanism 7 by means of suitable tension springs 204, one end of which is connected to an arm 202 and the opposite end of which is connected to a fixed part of the superstructure frame or housing 10.

In addition to providing side support for the upper portions of the containers so that they remain upright on the bottom support conveyor 13, the gripper or conveyor side belts 113 and 114 also prevent the containers from rotating or turning while the closure caps are being In order to grip the sides of the containers sufliciently so that they are prevented from rotating or turning, it is necessary to press the lower runs of the side belts 113 and 114 inwardly against the containers. This is accomplishedby running the lower runs of the belts 113 and 114 over spring-loaded guide pulleys or rollers which will now be described in connection with Figs. l, 2 and 3'. v

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the lower run of the front side conveyor belt 113 is supported and guided by a set of ve rollers 205, a set of two rollers 206 and a set of three rollers 207. The rear side conveyor belt 114 is similarly supported and guided by a set of five rollers 208 mounted in opposition to the rollers 205, a set of two rollers 209 mounted in opposition to the rollers 206 and a set of three rollers 210 mounted in opposition to the rollers 207. The front and rear sets of pressure rollers for the gripper belts 113 and 114 are both spring backed and adjustably positioned toward and away from the center line of the conveyor 13.

The rollers 205 are mounted on a suitable support bracket 198 having upper and lower plates which support the opposite ends of vertical pins on which the rollers 205 are mounted. A pair of guide and support rods 199 project rearwardly from the bracket 198 through guide sleeves 212 slidably supported in sleeve housings 213 integrally formed on a part of the housing for the sealing mechanism 7. The outer ends of the sleeves 212 are interconnected by a yoke member 214. An adjusting screw 215 passes through a threaded hole in the yoke 214 and the inner end is rotatably connected to a bridge 216 supported between opposite sides of the housings 213. The outer ends of the support rods 199 do not extend to the yoke 214 but are spaced therefrom so as to provide room for the compression springs 217. It will be seen that by adjusting the screw 215 and tightening the lock nut 219 on the outer end thereof, the support bracket 198 for the rollers 205 may be adjustably positioned for exerting the proper gripping pressure against the sides of the containers.

The pair of rollers 206 and the set of three rollers 207 are supported on a bracket 220, one end of which is pivotally connected by means of a pin 221 onto the inner end vof a support rod 222 and the other end of which is connected by a member 223 to the inner end of a support rod 224. The support rod 222 is slidable in a sleeve 225 -which in turn is slidable through a cylindrical guide and retaining housing 226 mounted on the housing frame. The support rod 224 is slidable in a similar guide sleeve 227 which is slidably supported in a cylindrical housing 228. The sleeve 22S is provided on its outer end with an adjusting lock 229 which carries an adjusting screw 230. The inner end of the adjusting screw 230 is rotatably connected to the frame by means of a pair of collars 231, one of which is on the inside and one of which is on the outside. For adjustment the screw 230 is turned in the threaded aperture in the block 229 and may be locked in any desired position by means of a nut 232. In like manner the sleeve 227 is provided with an adjusting block 233 having an opening therein for threadedly receiving an adjustment screw 234, the inner end of which is rotatably connected to the frame by means of spaced collars 235. By turning the screws 234 the block 233 may be moved in and out and may be locked in any desired position by the nut 236. The support rods 222 and 224 for the bracket 220 do not extend out to the blocks 229 and 233 and the spaces therebetween in the sleeves 225 and 227 accommodate compression springs 237 and 238, respectively, which serve to yieldably back up the guide rollers 206 and 207.

The guide rollers 208, 210 and 211 for the rear side conveyor belt 214 are mounted in the same manner as the corresponding or opposing guide rollers for the front side conveyor belt 113. The rollers 208 are mounted on a roller support bracket 240 which is carried by a pair of outwardly extending support rods 241 which are slidable in tubular sleeves 242 carried in integrally formed sleeve members 243 on the rear side of the housing of the superstructure 10. V The rods 241 do not extend all the way through to 'a yoke 'or' block 244 which interconnects-the outer ends ofthe sleeves 242 but terminate in spaced relation from the block 244 so as to allow space in each sleeve 242 for a compression spring 245. The yoke 244 is adjustably connected by means of a screw 246 to the frame so that the bracket 240 may be moved in and out while being inwardly held under the spring load applied bythe springs 245.

The guide rollers 209 and 210 are mounted on a suitable bracket frame 250. The bracket 250 is supported at one end by a rod 251 which projects through a sleeve 252 slidable in a sleeve 253 integrally formed on the rear side or plate of the housing superstructure. rhe sleeve 252 carries a block 254 on the outer end thereof having a lateral projection which is provided with a threaded aperture for receiving an adjusting screw 255. The adjusting screw 255 at the front end is rotatably connected by means of collars 256 Aso that it is free to rotate without moving. Accordingly, -by turning the screw 255 the `block 254 will be moved in and out carrying with it the sleeve 252. A lock or nut 257 serves to lock the screw 255 in any desired position. A compression spring 258 is located in the sleeve 252 and supports and presses inwardly against the end of the support rod 251.

The other end of the bracket 250 is similarly supported by means of a rod 260 to which the bracket is pivotally connected. The rod 260 projects through aV sleeve 261 which is slidable in a sleeve 262 integrally formed on the frame. The lsleeve 261 is provided with an adjusting block 263 having a threaded aperture which is engaged by an adjusting screw 264, the inner end of which is rotatably connected by means of collars 265 to the frame. A nut 266 serves to lock the screw 264 in any desired position after it vhas moved the block 263 in or out as desired. A compression spring 267 is located in the outer end -o the sleeve 261 for support and pressing inwardly against the end of the rod 260.

It will be seen that by suitably adjusting the support brackets 240 and 250 the rear sets of guide and support rollers for the rear side conveyor belt 114 may be positioned in the desired location with the loading springs 245, 258 and 257 biasing or pressing the rollers inwardly so as to support the rear side belt 114 as it passes thereover.

The side belts 113 and 114 at the discharge end of the machine pass over guide rollers 270 and 271 (Figs. 13 and 1) which serve to divert and guide the belts onto the sheaves 151 and 152, respectively. These guide rollers 270 and 271 are suitably mounted on stub shafts 272 and 273 mounted on iixed portions of the frame. The pulley Wheel 147 is driven at a speed such that the speed or velocity of the side belts 113 and 114 is equal to the speed or velocity of the bottom support conveyor 13. Therefore, there is no relative movement between the side belts 113 and 114 and the conveyor 13.

It will be seen from Fig. 13 that the diameter of the sheave 150 is larger than the diameter of the sheaves 151 and 152 whereas the diameter ofthe sheave 148 is smaller. Thel dimensions are such that while the front sealing belt 145 which runs over the smaller diameter sheave 148 will be driven at a speed slower than the speed of the conveyor 13 and the side conveyor belts 113 and 114, the rear sealing belt 146 running over sheave 150 will be driven at a faster speed. The amount by which the speed of the front sealing belt 145 is less than the speed of the conveyor belts equals the amount by which the speed of the rear sealing belt 146 exceeds the speed of the conveyor belts. Accordingly, the average of the 'speeds of the front and rear sealing belts 145 and 146 'equals'the Speed of the conveyor belts. However, the difference in the speeds of the sealing belts provides the cap rotating action whereby each of the closure caps is rotated down onto the closure as it passes through the sealing mechanism 7. It will be seen that with vthis arrangement the cap 'rotating action applied by the sealing y12 belts 'and i146 is the same rand equal on'opposite sides ofthe caps.

' lnoperation The operation of the packaging machine is apparent from the foregoing description of the machine. Filled containers are delivered onto the conveyor 13 at the entrance ofthe machine and after passing through the centering guides 25 they are carried forward on the conveyor 13 until they come in between the lside conveyor belts 113 and 114. Thereafter the containers are conveyed through the combined action of the bottom support conveyor 13 and the side conveyor belts 113 and 114. As the containers pass under the cap feeding and leveling mechanism 6Aeach engages in turn the bottommost closure cap as shown in Fig. 7 and while held level each 'cap is rotated down to preliminary sealing position as described in connection with Figs. 5-l2. Thereafter the containers with `the closure caps so turned down corne under sealing mechanism 7 where they are engaged by the sealing belts 145 and 146. At this time the containers are also rmly supported against tilting and rotating by the opposed sets .of guide and support rollers acting on the side belts 113 and 114. As each container passes under the bottom runs of the sealing belts 145 and 146 its cap is pushed down and rotated at the same time so that by the time the container emerges or clears the discharge ends of thesealing belts the closure cap will have been rotated down to its fully seated position. lf the closurecaps have plastisol gasket compositions of the type mentioned above, they are heated so that during the sealingv action each rim or closure finish on the containers forms its own sealing seat in a gasket.

`Second! embodiment The second embodiment oi the invention will now be described in connection with Figs. 15-21. This embodi ment corresponds generally to the first embodiment of the invention but has suitable modifications which adapt it to the application of relatively large diameter rotatable closure caps whereas the iirst embodiment of the invention is adapted to apply relatively small diameter closure caps such as caps for catsup bottles. However, it will be obvious that either embodiment may be used with large or small diameter caps.

The main diierenees between the rst embodiment and the second embodiment of the invention reside in the closure cap feeding and leveling mechanisms and in the vsealing mechanisms. However, even these mechanisms are generally the same in both embodiments. The conveyor mechanism for the second embodiment may be the same as for the first embodiment including the bottom support conveyor 13 and the side engaging conveyor belts 113 and 114.

Referring to Figs. 15-18 the cap discharge and leveling means lat the bottom end of the cap feed chute is suspended from a bracket 300 which may be an extension of the top guide support for the feed chute. This bracket 30d has a depending lug 301 which has an aperture in the lower end for receiving a pin 392 and an aperture adjacent its upper end for receiving a pin 393. The lower pin 302 supports on its opposite ends a pair of front and rear curved track section support brackets 394 and 305, respectively. Each of these brackets has three upstanding apertured clamping lugs which are split at the top, the ones for the front bracket 304 being designated at 306-306 and the ones for the rear bracket 305 being designated at 367-307. The clamping lugs 396 and 307 are provided with lock screws 368 and 309, respectively, which extend through opposed ears on the lugs and may be tightened down upon pins or rods ex tending therethrough. The intermediate clamping lugs 306 and 307 are internally threaded for engagement with the threaded ends of an adjusting screw 31h.

The front track support bracket 304 supports a iront curved track section 311 (Fig. 16) while the rear sup'- port 305 supports a track section 312. These track sections 311 and 312 form continuations or extensions of the front and rear cap guide bars on the inclined chute. The track 311 has an inwardly turned rail flange 313 while the track section 312 has a corresponding inwardly turned rail ange 314.

In order to prevent the caps from lifting oli from the rails 313 and 314, an upper cap track unit 315 is provided on the bottom with spaced runners 316 which are curved to conform generally to curvautre of the rail tianges 313 and 314. The upper cap track unit 315 is provided with an integral upstanding arm or lever 317 (Fig. 17) which is connected lby a tension spring 318 to the pin 303. This tension spring 318 serves to bias the leveling unit from being lifted in normal operation but allows it to raise if necessary.

The upper cap track unit 315 has side plates 319-319 provided with two pairs of upstanding ears 320 and 321 interconnected by means of the bolts or screws 322 and 323. The upper track unit 315 is also provided with apertured bosses 324 and 325 (Fig. 17) for receiving the rod 302 and the adjusting screw 310. An additional rod 327 extends through clamping lugs 306 and 307 on the outer end of the leveling means.

The opposite ends of the adjusting screw 310 are reversely threaded so that by turning this screw one way or the other the track support brackets 304 and 305 together with the track sections 311 and 312 supported thereby may be spread apart or brought together to accommodate caps of different diameters. It will be seen that to adjust the spacing of the brackets 304 and 305 the tightening screws 308 and 309 are first loosened sutilciently before turning the screw 310.

In order to prevent the caps from becoming prematurely removed or dislodged from the feed mechanism, a pair of detents 330 (Fig. 18) spring-loaded in a suit able manner, are provided. These detents retain the bottommost cap until it is picked up and pulled away by the leading edge of the mouth of a container as illustrated in Fig. 17.

As in the case of the rst embodiment of the invention, leveling of the caps is required in order that they may be properly applied onto the tops of the containers regardless of the respective positions of the caps and the containers insofar as their interlocking threads or lugs are concerned. Accordingly, a pair of hold-down or shoe members 331 and 332 (Fig. 17) are provided, the first being supported on the bottom end of a dog leg lever 333 and the second being supported on the bottom end of a dog leg lever 334. Each of the levers 333 and 334 has a bifurcated upper end as shown in Fig. 18 with the forks 335 apertured so as to pivot the lever 333 on the pin 303. The bifurcated end of the lever 334 has forks 336 which are apertured so Vas to pivot the lever 334 on the pin 303. Each of the levers 333 and 334 is provided with a hold-down rod 337 and 33S, respectively, which projects upwardly through the top of the housing and are held down by leaf springs as described for the rods 76 and 77 in Fig. 1.

' A drag 340 is also provided which is supported on the front side of the cap leveling and discharge mechanism. The drag 340 corresponds to and is in general mounted in the same manner and composed of the same elements as the drag mechanism described in connection with the first embodiment of the invention. Briey, the drag 340 is formed of a block or piece of friction material such as rubber and is mounted on a plate or arm 341 which is pivoted by means of a pin 342 on the adjacent end of a second arm 343. The arm 343 is pivoted by a pin 344 to a fixed support on the front bracket 304 and is biased in an outer position by means of a coil or compression spring 345. The position of the arm 343 is adjusted and held in place by means of a set screw 346 suitably supported from a fixed bracket 347.

. The pressure on and exerted by the drag 344 is obtained and adjusted by means of a lead spring 348 clamped on an extension of the arm 343 and engaged by an adjusting screw 350 which may be locked in any position by a nut 351.

As the containers proceed under the discharge and leveling end of the closure cap feed and leveling mechanism, they engage the lowermost cap and pull it away from the bottom support tracks 311 and 312 and the upper support tracks 316-316. Before a cap is completely removed, however, the upper side is engaged by the first hold-down shoe or duck bill 331 so that it is held level when it iirst seats on the mouth of the container as described above in connection with the iirst embodiment and Fig. 9. The closure cap is held down first by the duck bill 331 and then by the shoe member 332 at the same time that it is being engaged on the side of the drag 340 and rotated down to the preliminary sealing position.

The sealing mechanism of the second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 19-21. A sealing shoe 356, which in the second embodiment takes the place of Athe sealing belt hold-down pulleys 144 used in the rst embodiment of the invention, is supported from the bottorn ends of the C-members 352 and 353 by the pins 354 and 355. Because of the larger sizes of the caps which are being turned down in the second embodiment, at belts are used as the sealing belts in place of the V-shaped sealing belts used in the iirst embodiment. The front sealing belt is indicated at 357 in Fig. 20 and the rear sealing belt is indicated at 358. These belts pass over front and rear sheaves 360 and 361, respectively, on a pulley 362 suitably mounted on a shaft carried by the superstructure housing anddriven by the drive shaft 24 of the machine as described in connection with the iirst embodiment. The pulley wheel 362 is provided on its opposite faces with sheaves 363 and 364 for guiding the top runs of the front and rear side conveyor belts 113 and 114', respectively.

The cap sealing belts 357 and 358 at the ends opposite the pulley wheel 362 pass over idler pulleys and tightening pulleys, which except for their shape and width correspond generally to the idler pulleys and tensioning pulleys describing in connection with the first embodiment. The bottom idler pulleys for the front and rear sealing belts are indicated at 365 and 366, respectively, the latter being in sections in order to allow a bell crank lever 367 on which the tension pulley 368 is mounted to be pivoted on the shaft 369. The tensioning pulley for the front sealing belt is designated at 370 and is carried by a bell crank lever 371. The sealing belt tightening mechanism and the thrust absorbing mechanism for the sealing unit of the second embodiment may be the same as for the first embodiment and therefore will not be described in detail.

As shown in Figs. 19 and 20, only the upper or return runs of the side conveyor belts 113' and 114 pass over the outer sheaves 363 and 364 on the drive pulley 362. These two belts are driven from still another pulley 372 mounted on a separate shaft carried by the superstructure housing and driven by means of a chain 373 from a sprocket 374 carried on the shaft 375 on which the pulley wheel 362 is mounted.A The pulley wheel 372 is provided with sheaves 376 and 377 over which the front and rear side conveyor belts 113' and 114' pass after running under guiding idler rollers 378 and 380 (Fig. 19).

The side conveyor belts 113 and 114' are driven at the same speed as the bottomvsupport conveyor 13 as previously described in connection with the rst embodiment. The sealing belts 357 and 358 are driven at speeds which are respectively slower and faster than the speed of the conveyor belts so as to impart the proper rotating action to a closure cap as it passes under the shoe 356,.

, The vdifference in speed is obtained by the diterencein the diameters of the sheaves 360 and :361 as explained above in connection with the `first embodiment.

`It will be yseen that as a container passes `under the sealing mechanism it comes under the sealing belts 357 and 35S where they pass under the shoe 356. Due to the downward pressure with which the sealing mechanism is pushed or pressed by the compression springs at the top, the sealing belts apply both va downward thrust as well as the rotating torque to the opposite sides of the caps.

The bottom surface of the sealing shoe 356 is preferably contoured or shaped so as to concentrate the vertical sealing pressure and twisting action of the flat sealing belts 357 and 358 at the outer edges or margins of the closure caps. As shown in Fig. 19 the bottom of the `sealing shoe 355 `is longitudinally relieved or channeled between theopposite sides as indicated at 381. Therefore -the inner portions of the belts 357 -and 358 are permitted to cant or tilt upwardly as they pass under the :sealing shoe thereby concentrating the action of the A.belts on the outer margins of the caps :as mentioned.

One important feature of the present invention is the ability of the packaging machine ofthe present invention to handle non-cylindrical containers such as fiat- .tened glass bottles, or containers which are square, for example.

Since certain changes and modications may be made in the two embodiments of the invention vshown and described, and additional embodiments thereof provided without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the foregoing description and accompanying drawings are intended to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new is:

l. In apparatus for applying rotatable closure caps onto the mouths of containerswherein the containers in single Vfile are conveyed through the apparatus by conveyormeans comprising a horizontal bottom support conveyor and a pair of side support belts driven at the same speed and direction as the bottom ksupport conveyor and pressed inwardly against the opposite sides of the containers so as to prevent them from turning, and wherein the mouth of each container in turn pulls off for itself the bottommost releasably held closure cap from a feed chute filled with closure caps, in combination, leveling means for supporting each cap in at least an approximately level position on the mouth of a container as it is withdrawn from the bottom end of said feed chute and rotated down to sealing position, said leveling means comprising substantially horizontal bottom support rails at the terminal end of said feed chute which support each cap from the underside in a level position, and vertically yieldable cap top engaging means which extends beyond said bottom support rails and holds each cap down in a level position after leaving said rails.

2. The apparatus called for in claim l wherein said vertically yieldable cap top engaging means comprises a first hold-down shoe member positioned adjacent the discharge end of said cap feed chute and mounted on the free end of an arm swingable in a vertical plane, a ksecond hold-down shoe member positioned on the side of said first hold-down shoe opposite the end of said cap feed chute, said second hold-down shoe being mounted on .the free end of an arm swingable in a vertical plane, and means for loading each of said holddown shoe members to press down on the tops of the caps passing thereunder and resist lifting.

3. In apparatus for applying rotatable closure caps onto the mouths of containers wherein a single file procession of the containers is conveyed through the ,apparatus by conveyor means comprising a horizontal bottom support conveyor and a pair of Yside support belts vdriven at the same speed and direction as the bottom support conveyor and which press inwardly against the opposite sides of the containers so as to prevent them from turning, and wherein the mouth of each container in turn pulls off for itself the bottommost releasably held closure cap from a, feed chute filled with closure caps, in combination, leveling means for supporting each cap in at least an approximately level position on the mouth of a container as it is withdrawn from the bottom end of said feed chute and rotated down to sealing position comprising at least one hold-down shoe member positioned adjacent and in line with the discharge end of said cap feed chute, and drag means for frictionally engaging each cap on one side as it is held down in the level position so as to cause each leveled cap to rotate down to sealing position as its associated container is conveyed under said leveling means comprising a piece of friction material and means for biasing said piece .of friction material against the side of said caps.

4. In apparatus for applying closure caps onto the mouths of containers wherein a single file procession of containers is conveyed through the apparatus and each container .in turn pulls -oif its closure cap from the bottom of a feed chute, means for feeding each closure cap onto the mouth of a container comprising, a curved bifurcated discharge end on the bottom of said feed chute the terminal portion of which is approximately horizontal, a hold-down wheel having a diameter several times the height of the closure caps mounted for rotation in a vertical plane parallel with the direction of movement of caps from said discharge end, said holddown wheel being spaced opposite approximately the middle of the curve in said discharge end so as to engage and vhold down each cap passing thereunder as it rounds said curve, a first hold-down shoe having an upwardly turned portion under which caps enter and a horizontal portion which rides on the tops of the caps, said first hold-down shoe being located adjacent said curved discharge end and said hold-down wheel so as to engage the caps after they pass under said wheel and before they leave said horizontal terminal portion of said curved discharge end, and a second hold-down shoe disposed to engage the tops of said caps before they completely pass under said first hold-down shoe.

5. In apparatus for applying and sealing rotatable closure caps onto the mouths of containers wherein a single file procession of the containers is conveyed through the apparatus by conveyor means comprising a horizontal bottom support conveyor and a pair of side support belts driven at the same speed and direction as the bottom support conveyor and which press inwardly against the opposite sides of the containers so as to prevent them from turning, and wherein the mouth of each container in turn pulls off the bottommost releasably held closure cap from a feed chute lled with closure caps, a sealing section wherein caps rotated down to sealing position on said containers are sealed and rotated down to a final position comprising front and rear sealing belts, pulley means rotatable von horizontal axes for supporting said sealing belts at the opposite ends thereof, guide means for holding the lower runs of said sealing belts parallel and in approximately the same horizontal plane so as to engage said caps on opposite top corners thereof, and means for driving the lower runs of said sealing belts in the same direction as the conveyor means with one being driven faster than said conveyor means and the other being driven slower than said conveyor means by equal amounts-whereby each cap is rotated and pushed down to nal position as it is passed under said sealing belts.

6. In apparatus for applying and sealing rotatable closure caps to containers wherein a single tile procession of the containers is conveyed through the apparatusby conveying means comprising a bottom support conveyor and a pair of side belts driven at the same speed as the bottom support conveyor and pressed in against the procession of containers fromopposite Sides, wherein the mouth of each container in turn engages and pulls off its own closure cap from a cap feeding means, and

each container with its cap* in place thereon passes through a sealing section wherein the cap is sealed on its contamer, the improvement in 121e sealing section comprising said belts so that each has a lower run wherein it engages the caps at the upper corners on one side of the ing a pair of cap rotating belts, pulley means for supportprocession, means for pressing said lower runs both downwardly and inwardly, and driving means for each of said belts for driving one at a speed faster than said conveying means and for driving the other at a speed slower than said conveying means, the faster driven cap rotating belt exceeding the speed of the conveyor means by an amount equal to the difference in speeds between the slower driven cap rotating belt and the conveyor means.

7. The apparatus called for in claim 6 wherein said means for pressing the lower runs of said cap rotating belts downwardly and inwardly against the upper corners of said caps on opposite sides comprises a row of guide pulleys for each of said lower runs aligned lengthwise of said sealing apparatus, and a support shaft for each' pulley which extends downwardly and outwardly with respect to the longitudinal center plane of said sealing section, said lower runs of the cap rotating belts running on the underside of each of said rows of pulleys.

8. The apparatus called for in claim 6 wherein said cap rotating sealing belts are of the V-type, and said means for pressing the lower runs of said cap rotating sealing belts downwardly and inwardly against the opposite margins or edges of the caps comprises an elongated sealing roller support frame, support means for said frame including spring loading means resisting the lifting of said frame, a plurality of shafts diverging downwardly from opposite sides of said frame, a'V-type guide pulley mounted on each of said shafts with the pulleys on each side of said frame being in alignment whereby one of said sealing belts runs thereunder.

9. The apparatus called for in claim 6 wherein said cap rotating sealing belts are at and relatively wide in relation to their thickness, and said means for pressing the lower runs of said sealing belts against the opposite margins or edges of the caps comprises an elongated sealing shoe having a smooth bottom surface, and support means for said sealing shoe including spring loading means resisting the lifting of said sealing shoe, said bottom surface of said sealing shoe being so contoured by relief of a central portion that as the bottom runs of said sealing belts pass thereunder the cap rotating action of said belts is concentrated on the opposite outside margins of the caps.

10, ln apparatus for applying and sealing rotatable closure caps to containers wherein a single file procession of the containers is conveyed through the apparatus by conveying means comprising a bottom support conveyor and a pair of side belts driven at the same speed as the bottom support conveyor and pressed in against the proown closure cap from a cap feeding means, and each container with its cap in place thereon passes through a sealing mechanism wherein each cap is fully rotated down and sealed on its container, said sealing mechanism comprising, a pair of sealing belts each having upper and lower runs, drive pulley means mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the sealing mechanism and adjacent the discharge end thereofand having a larger diameter sheave for one of said sealing belts and a smaller diameter sheave for the other sealing belt, idler support pulley means for each of said sealing belts mounted adjacent the entrance end of said sealing mechanism, driving means operatively connected to said drive pulley means whereby said larger diameter sheave and its sealing belt are driven at a speed which exceeds which is slower than said conveying means by the same amount that the speed of the other sealing belt is faster, and means for pressing and guiding the lower runs of said sealing belts parallel to each other in approximately the same horizontal plane.

1l. In the sealing mechanism called for in claim l0 idler support pulley means for each of said sealing belts comprising, a pair of idler pulleys one of which is carried on a pivoted arm above the other, and a belt tightener in the form of a compressible link having one end attached to said pivoted arm and the other end attached to a fixed part of the apparatus so as to be under compression which is applied to the associated sealing belt.

l2. A packaging machine for applying rotatable closure caps onto containers comprising, in combination: a conveyor mechanism for conveying containers in single file procession; a closure cap feeding and leveling mechanism disposed over said conveyor mechanism; and a sealing mechanism disposed over said conveyor mechanism; said conveyor mechanism having a portion which cooperates operatively with said cap feeding and leveling mechanism and a portion which cooperates operatively with said sealing mechanism and comprising, a bottom support conveyor for said containers, a pair of side conveyor belts having opposing runs which extend over said bottom support conveyor on opposite sides of the center thereof for gripping the sides of the containers thereon so as to prevent them from turning, pulley means for supporting and driving said side conveyor belts at a speed equal to the speed of said bottom conveyor, and a set of spring backed support rollers for supporting each of said side conveyor belts and pressing it inwardly against the sides of said containers as they pass under said sealing mechanism; said closure cap feeding and leveling mechanism comprising, an inclined cap feed chute having a bifurcated cap discharge end on the bottom end, cap leveling means including at least one hold-downshoe member operatively associated with said discharge end for holding each cap down in an approximately level position as it is pulled olf from said bifurcated cap discharge end, and drag means for frictionally engaging each cap on one side as it is held down level so as to rotate each cap down to its preliminary sealing position as its associated container is conveyed under said cap leveling means comprising a piece of friction material and means for biasing the same against the side of said caps as they pass by; and said sealing mechanism comprising, a pair of sealing belts each having upper and lower runs, drive pulley means therefor mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis transverse' to said conveyor mechanism and adjacent the discharge end thereof and having a larger diameter sheave for one of said sealing belts and a smaller diameter sheave for the other, idler support pulley means for each of said sealing belts mounted adjacent the entrance end of said sealing mechanism, driving means operatively connected to said drive pulley means whereby said larger sheave and its sealing belt are driven faster than said conveyor mechanism and said smaller sheave and its sealing belt are driven slower than said conveyor mechanism by the same amount that said larger sheave and its sealing belt exceed the speed of said conveyor mechanism,

and means for guiding the lower runs of said sealing belts parallel to each other and in approximately the same horizontal plane and for pressing the same down onto opposite corners of said caps so as to rotate the caps veyor belt sheaves by an amount equal to that by which said smaller diameter sheave is smaller.

14. In apparatus for applying rotatable closure caps onto the mouths of containers wherein the containers in single file are conveyed through the apparatus byrconveyor means comprising a horizontal bottom support conveyor and a pair of side support belts driven at the same speed and direction as the bottom support conveyor and pressed inwardly against the opposite sides of the containers so as to prevent them from turning, and wherein the mouth of each container in turn pulls off for itself the bottommost releasably held closure cap from a feed chute filled with closure caps, in combination, leveling means for supporting each cap in at least an approximately level position on the mouth of a container as it is withdrawn from the bottom end of Said feed chute and rotated down to sealing position, drag means for frictionally engaging each cap on one side in the level position so as to rotate each leveled cap down to a preliminary sealing position as its associated container is conveyed under said leveling means, said drag means comprising an arm pivoted on a fixed support at one end, a piece of friction material mounted on the opposite end for engaging each successive cap on one side thereof, and spring means for biasing said piece of friction material into said engagement. n

15. In apparatus for applying rotatable closure caps onto the mouths of containers wherein the containers in single iile are conveyed through the apparatus by conveyor means and wherein the leading edge of the mouth of each container in turn engages and pulls ott for itself,

the bottommost releasably held closure cap from a feed chute filled with closure caps, in combination, leveling means for supporting each cap in at least an approximately level position on the mouth of a container as it is withdrawn from the bottom end of said feed chute and rotated down to sealing position, said leveling means comprising horizontal bottom support rails at the terminal end of said feed chute which support each cap from the underside in a level position, and vertically yieldable cap top engaging means a portion of which extends rearwardly over said rails and a portion of which extends beyond said rails so as to hold each cap in a level position until it leaves said rails.

16. In apparatus for applying and sealing rotatable closure caps onto the mouths of containers wherein a single le procession of the containers is conveyed through the apparatus by conveyor means comprising a horizontal bottom support conveyor and side support means driven at the same speed and direction as the bottom support conveyor and which press inwardly against the opposite sides of the containers so as to prevent them from turning, and wherein the mouth of each container in turn receives a closure cap from a feed chute filled with closure caps, a sealing section wherein caps rotated down to sealing position on said containers are sealed and rotated down to a final position comprising front and rear sealing belts, pulley means rotatable on horizontal axes for supporting said sealing belts at the opposite ends thereof, guide means for holding the lower runs of said sealing belts parallel and in approximately the same horizontal plane so as to engage said caps on diametrically opposite marginal portions of the tops thereof, and means for driving the lower runs of said sealing belts in the same direction as the conveyor means with one being driven faster than said conveyor means and the other being driven slower than said conveyor means by equal amounts whereby each cap is rotated and pushed down to final position as it is passed under said sealing belts.

17. In apparatus for applying and sealing rotatable closure caps to containers wherein a single iile procession of the containers is conveyed through the apparatus by conveying means comprising a bottom support conveyor and side support means driven at the same speed as the bottom support conveyor and pressed in against the procession of containers from opposite sides, wherein each container receives its own closure cap from a cap feeding means, and each container with its cap in place thereon passes through a sealing section wherein the cap is sealed on its container, the improvement in the sealing section comprising a pair of cap rotating belts, pulley means` for supporting said belts so that each has a lower run wherein it engages the caps at marginal portions thereof on one side of the procession, means for pressing said lower runs both downwardly and inwardly, and driving means for each of said belts for driving one at a speed faster than said conveying means and for driving the other at a speed slower than said conveying means, the faster driven cap rotating belt exceeding the speed of the conveyor means by an amount equal to the diierence in speeds between the slower driven cap rotating belt and the conveyor means.

18. In apparatus for applying and sealing rotatable closure caps to containers wherein a single tile procession of the containers is conveyed through the apparatus by conveying means comprising a bottom support conveyor and side support means driven at the same speed as the bottom support conveyor and pressed in against the procession of containers from opposite sides, wherein the mouth of each container in turn receives a closure cap from a cap feeding means, and each container with its cap in place thereon passes through a sealing mechanism wherein each cap is fully rotated down and sealed on its container, said sealing mechanism comprising, a pair of sealing belts each having upper and lower runs, drive pulley means mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the sealing mechanism and adjacent the discharge end thereof and having a larger diameter sheave for one of said sealing belts and a smaller diameter sheave for the other sealing belt, idler support pulley means for each of said sealing belts mounted adjacent the entrance end of said sealing mechanism, driving means operatively connected to said drive pulley means whereby said larger diameter sheave and its sealing belt are driven at a speed which exceeds the speed of said conveying means and said smaller diameter sheave and its sealing belt are driven at a speed which is slower than said conveying means by the same amount that the speed of the other sealing belt is faster, and means for pressing and guiding the lower runs of said sealing belts parallel to each other in approximately the same horizontal plane for engagement at their undersides with diametrically opposed marginal portions of the tops of the caps.

19. In apparatus for applying rotatable closure caps onto the mouths of containers wherein the containers are conveyed through the apparatus by conveyor means and wherein the mouth of each container in turn receives a rotatable closure cap from cap feeding means, in combination, leveling means for supporting and retaining each cap in at least an approximately level position on the mouth of its associated container as it is preliminarily I rotated to sealing position, said leveling means comprising laterally spaced substantially horizontal bottom support rails at the delivery end of said cap feeding means which support each cap from the underside in a level position, and vertically yieldable means for engaging with the top of the caps, a portion of which top engaging means extends rearwardly over said rails and a portion of which extends beyond said rails so as to hold each cap in a level position until it leaves said rails.

20. In apparatus for applying rotatable closure caps onto the mouths of containers wherein the containers are conveyed through the apparatus by conveyor means and wherein the mouth of each container in turn receives a rotatable closure cap from cap feeding means, in combination, leveling means for supporting and retaining cach 'cap in at least an approximately level position on the mouth of its associated container as it is preliminarily rotated to sealing position, said leveling means comprising laterally spaced substantially horizontal bottom support rails at the delivery end of said cap feeding means 

